Service
Medicaid Transportation on Long Island
Medicaid transportation is free non-emergency medical transportation for New York Medicaid members traveling to covered appointments. In Nassau and Suffolk County, book by calling MAS at 1-844-666-6270 and requesting DachiPlus as your provider. Not on Medicaid? Call DachiPlus directly at (516) 754-7777 for private-pay rides.
DachiPlus is a New York Medicaid-enrolled non-emergency medical transportation provider serving all of Nassau and Suffolk County. For Medicaid members, medically necessary rides to dialysis, doctor visits, therapy, and hospital discharge are covered at no out-of-pocket cost through the state's transportation broker, Medical Answering Services (MAS). Book by calling MAS at 1-844-666-6270 at least 72 hours ahead and requesting DachiPlus by name. We transport ambulatory riders and wheelchair users who can transfer to a vehicle seat; for stay-in-wheelchair ambulette trips we coordinate a licensed WAV partner. Not on Medicaid? We also accept private pay, Medicare Advantage, and long-term care insurance.
Who uses this service
Who uses medicaid transport on Long Island?
- New York Medicaid members with medically necessary appointments
- Patients on recurring treatment (dialysis, chemotherapy, physical therapy)
- Seniors and people with mobility limitations who no longer drive
- Managed Long-Term Care (MLTC) and Medicaid Advantage plan members
- Patients being discharged from the hospital
- Families arranging covered rides for a Medicaid-eligible relative
What's included
What is included with every medicaid transport trip?
Free rides for eligible Medicaid members — the trip is billed to Medicaid, not you
Booking coordinated through Medical Answering Services (MAS)
Door-through-door assistance from home to the facility entrance
Standing orders for recurring trips like dialysis, requested by your medical provider's office through MAS, so you don't re-book each time
Companion seating at no additional cost
Wheelchair transport coordinated through licensed WAV partners when a stay-in-chair ambulette is needed
How we run your trip
Three promises on every ride
Your return ride is never an afterthought
Round trips are booked as two confirmed legs: your return pickup is scheduled before we ever pick you up. Nobody gets stranded at the clinic waiting for a ride back.
Dispatch you can actually reach
Call or text (516) 754-7777 and a dispatcher answers, Monday through Saturday, 6 AM to 8 PM. Same line before, during, and after your trip; running late or plans changed, you'll always reach a person.
The price is set before you ride
Medicaid trips through MAS cost you $0. Private-pay rates come from a published rate card and are quoted upfront: estimate your fare before you even call.
Before your ride
How should patients and caregivers prepare?
A little preparation makes every trip smoother. Here's what to have ready when you book or on the day of your ride.
- ✓ Have your Medicaid CIN (Client Identification Number) ready
- ✓ Call MAS at 1-844-666-6270 at least 72 hours before a routine appointment
- ✓ Ask for DachiPlus by name as your transportation provider
- ✓ Give the exact facility name, address, appointment time, and required arrival time
- ✓ Tell MAS your mobility needs — ambulatory, cane/walker, or wheelchair (and whether you can transfer to a seat)
- ✓ If you go to dialysis, chemotherapy, or therapy at the same place on the same days each week, ask your dialysis center or doctor's office to request a standing order through MAS
What is Medicaid transportation, and who qualifies?
Medicaid transportation is free non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) for New York Medicaid members who need a ride to a medically necessary, Medicaid-covered service and have no other way to get there. It covers routine and recurring care alike — a one-time specialist visit or three-times-a-week dialysis — as long as the destination is a covered service and you are an eligible member. There is no out-of-pocket cost: Medicaid pays the state broker directly.
Eligibility is tied to your active Medicaid coverage and the medical necessity of the trip, not to your diagnosis. If you can confirm the appointment is with a Medicaid provider and you are enrolled, you almost certainly qualify. See the full Medicaid transportation eligibility rules for the details.
How do you book a Medicaid ride on Long Island?
Every Medicaid NEMT trip downstate is arranged through Medical Answering Services (MAS), the state's transportation broker — not through the provider directly. Call MAS at 1-844-666-6270 at least 72 hours before a routine appointment, give your CIN and appointment details, and when they ask which provider you want, say "DachiPlus." MAS first decides the right type of transportation for your trip, then considers your choice of provider among the companies enrolled for that type.
For the full step-by-step, including what to have ready, the 72-hour rule, and how standing orders work, see how to book Medicaid transportation. You can also request single rides through the MAS online member portal. Standing orders for recurring treatment are different: only your medical provider's office can request one through MAS.
What does Medicaid cover — and what does it really cost?
For eligible members the ride is free. Medicaid covers medically necessary transportation to dialysis, chemotherapy and radiation, doctor and specialist visits, physical and occupational therapy, mental-health and substance-use appointments, wound care, infusions, and hospital discharge. It does not cover trips that are not medically necessary or destinations Medicaid does not recognize — a ride to a non-covered service, for instance.
The most common surprise is timing, not money: routine trips need 72 hours’ notice, while urgent hospital discharges and same-day medically urgent trips can be arranged on shorter notice through MAS. See the full breakdown of what Medicaid transportation costs in New York.
What kinds of Medicaid trips does DachiPlus handle?
DachiPlus runs sedans and SUVs and specializes in the recurring, appointment-based trips that make up most Medicaid transportation: dialysis transportation on standing orders, chemotherapy and radiation rides, therapy, and routine specialist visits. Drivers assist door-through-door and know how to work with patients who tire easily or are recovering from a procedure.
We transport ambulatory riders and wheelchair users who can transfer to a vehicle seat — your folding wheelchair rides in the trunk. If you must remain in your wheelchair for the trip, that is an ambulette, which we coordinate through a licensed WAV partner. Tell MAS or us your mobility needs at booking so the right vehicle is assigned the first time.
Medicaid cab vs. taxi vs. ambulette — what's the difference?
People use "Medicaid cab" and "Medicaid taxi" to mean the same thing: a car sent to take an ambulatory Medicaid member to an appointment, arranged through MAS rather than hailed on the street. That is the standard DachiPlus service. An ambulette is a different vehicle — a wheelchair-accessible van with a lift and securement for riders who cannot transfer out of their chair — and an ambulance is for emergencies only.
Getting the vehicle type right on the phone matters: asking for a cab when you need an ambulette (or the reverse) is the most common reason a Medicaid ride goes wrong on the day. When in doubt, describe your situation and let MAS or DachiPlus match the vehicle.
Where does DachiPlus provide Medicaid rides?
DachiPlus serves all of Nassau and Suffolk County. Whether you are booking Medicaid transportation in Nassau County or Suffolk County, ask MAS for DachiPlus by name. When MAS assigns the trip to us, we drive you from your door to the facility and back.
Service area
Where is medicaid transport available?
DachiPlus serves all towns across Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island — from Valley Stream and Hempstead to Smithtown and Riverhead. Occasional runs to NYC specialty centers (MSKCC, NYU, HSS) are available on request.
View full service area →125+
towns served
2
counties
Request DachiPlus through MAS
Medicaid riders in New York book transportation through Medical Answering Services (MAS). Call MAS and ask for DachiPlus by name.
Book a ride directly
Pay with credit card, Medicare Advantage benefits, workers' comp, no-fault auto, or long-term care insurance. Get a same-day quote.
Hospitals & facilities
Medical facilities DachiPlus serves for medicaid transport
Stony Brook, NY
Stony Brook
Stony Brook University Hospital is the largest academic medical center in Suffolk County and the only tertiary care center serving the East End.
Transportation info →Manhasset, NY
North Shore
North Shore University Hospital is the 738-bed flagship of Northwell Health, providing tertiary and quaternary care.
Transportation info →East Meadow, NY
NUMC
NUMC is a 530-bed public safety-net hospital serving Nassau County, with a Level I trauma center.
Transportation info →Mineola, NY
NYU Langone LI
NYU Langone Hospital — Long Island, formerly Winthrop, is a 591-bed academic medical center and the flagship of NYU Langone's Long Island operations.
Transportation info →Multiple locations, NY
DaVita
DaVita operates dialysis centers throughout Suffolk and Nassau Counties.
Transportation info →Multiple locations, NY
Fresenius
Fresenius Kidney Care operates outpatient dialysis centers throughout Suffolk and Nassau Counties.
Transportation info →Related services
More ways we transport patients on Long Island
NEMT
Safe, reliable rides to and from medical appointments throughout Long Island.
Wheelchair Transport
Medical transportation for wheelchair users who can transfer to a vehicle seat — wheelchair travels safely in the trunk.
Dialysis Transport
Reliable, recurring transportation to and from dialysis treatment centers.
Senior Transport
Patient, compassionate medical transportation designed for older adults.
FAQ
Medicaid Transport — common questions
How far in advance do I need to schedule a Medicaid ride in New York?
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New York State requires Medicaid transportation requests be made at least three business days (72 hours) before your appointment. Urgent or same-day medical needs may qualify for expedited scheduling — call MAS at 1-844-666-6270 to confirm.
How much does Medicaid medical transportation cost?
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Medicaid medical transportation is free to eligible Medicaid members. There is no copay, fare, or out-of-pocket cost for trips approved through MAS. The provider bills Medicaid directly.
Can I request a specific NEMT provider through MAS?
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Yes. When you call MAS, you can request a specific provider by name. New York's Medicaid Transportation Policy Manual (section 2.3, effective August 25, 2023) has MAS assign trips first by the medically appropriate mode of transportation, then by the enrollee's choice among participating transportation vendors. Ask the MAS representative to assign your trip to DachiPlus. If we have availability for your appointment window and your trip type, MAS can assign the trip to us. Choice can be limited when a Preferred Provider covers a certain region.
Does Medicaid cover dialysis transportation?
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Yes. Dialysis is a Medicaid-covered medical service, and the transportation to and from dialysis appointments is covered through MAS. Ask your dialysis center to request a standing order through MAS for your recurring schedule, so you don't have to call before every trip. Only your medical provider's office can enter a standing order.
Is there a Medicaid cab or taxi service in New York?
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Yes, though it is not called a taxi officially. What most people mean by a "Medicaid cab" is free non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT): a scheduled car ride to a medical appointment, paid for by Medicaid. In New York you book it through MAS (Medical Answering Services) at 1-844-666-6270 at least 72 hours ahead, and a local transportation provider drives the trip. On Long Island, request DachiPlus as your provider and a sedan or wheelchair-capable vehicle picks you up door-to-door at no cost to you. Regular street taxis and rideshares are not covered.
Can I schedule Medicaid transportation online?
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Yes. MAS offers online booking at medanswering.com: with a member account you can create, change and cancel trips at any time of day, any day of the week, and the same advance-notice guidelines apply as by phone (three days ahead for routine appointments). If you prefer the phone, MAS books trips at 1-844-666-6270, Monday through Friday, 7 AM to 6 PM. Either way, you can ask for DachiPlus as your transportation provider for trips in Nassau and Suffolk County. For private-pay trips (no Medicaid), book online anytime at dachiplus.com/book/ or call (516) 754-7777.
Is Medicaid transportation really free?
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Yes. For eligible New York Medicaid members, non-emergency medical transportation to covered appointments is free — there is no fare, copay, or out-of-pocket charge. Medicaid pays the state transportation broker (MAS) directly, and the provider bills Medicaid, not you. The only requirements are that you are an active member, the trip is medically necessary to a Medicaid-covered service, and you book through MAS at 1-844-666-6270 (request DachiPlus). If a driver or company ever asks a Medicaid member to pay for a covered trip, that is not how the program works — call MAS.
Does Medicaid cover a ride to the pharmacy or to dialysis?
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Medicaid covers transportation that is part of a medically necessary trip. Dialysis is fully covered: it is one of the most common Medicaid rides, and your dialysis center can request a standing order through MAS so you don't re-book each session. A standalone trip to the pharmacy is generally not covered on its own, but picking up a prescription on the way home from a covered appointment is usually fine; ask MAS when you book. For anything recurring, such as dialysis, chemotherapy, or regular therapy, ask your treatment provider's office to request a standing order through MAS and to list DachiPlus as your preferred transportation provider. For single trips, call MAS at 1-844-666-6270 and ask for DachiPlus by name.